Jordan Rhodes is a senior english major who writes "Shepard’s Corner" for The Daily News. His views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. Write to Jordan at jbrhodes@bsu.edu.
The United States is gripped with yet another election season I can honestly say that it is a very unique one. You’ve probably already heard candidates and voters alike parading this as the highest-stakes election in the modern history of this country.
The fact of the matter is every midterm election should be the highest-stakes election in modern history. The stakes are always high because every cycle, Congress, especially in the House of Representatives, has the chance to flip control between parties.
Despite it not being nearly as flashy or exciting as a presidential election, the midterms hold just as much weight as a presidential election.
What most people miss is that Congress holds most of the power in our republican system.
Think back to your high school government class. Congress makes the laws; the president just signs or vetoes them. Congress is the mastermind behind every law, good or bad, in our country since the 18th century.
Midterm elections never excite my friends. The presidency was always the talk of my grade school class during social studies.
We care more about that election, I think, because the president is one person. It’s easy to focus your anger and praise towards an individual rather than a body of individuals.
However, Congress should be the focal point of every voter this election season.
If a Democratic president occupies the Oval Office but the Republicans occupy Congress, then what’s the point of even having a Democratic president? Or vice versa? With how divided we are as a nation, neither side will cave by compromising – they’ll just keep shoving their legislation through Congress and blame the president for refusing the sign it, leading to their core base getting fired up to vote him out of office. How do you think Trump won the presidency?
This time around however, the House of Representatives will likely fall Democratic since it’s been Republican since the 2010 election. The Senate on the other hand seems like it will just barely stay in Republican control, as the necessary seats to be taken are in traditionally red states currently held by unpopular Democrats, like Indiana.
Control of the Senate could quite likely come down to two key states: North Dakota and Indiana. In both states, the Republican challenger seems poised to win. If the polls turn out to be true, this could give the Republicans that tiny edge to retain control of the Senate.
But it all starts next week.
So, despite it not being as epic or dramatic as a presidential election season, midterms are ridiculously important to accurately represent the wishes and desires of the American public.
The midterm elections decide who holds the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
For those of you who don’t know, the Republicans right now control both. And the presidency. And 32 state legislatures, which is the most in history according to Quorum. They also control 33 governorships, including Massachusetts and Maryland.
If that’s totally cool by you, great! Vote to keep them in. If that enrages you, great! Vote them out.
No matter what your view may be, we are all able to cast our vote to empower or destroy the status quo. A new story might be upon us: the next chapter of American politics could be decided by your ballot.